2000 Dodge Caravan Alignment

INDYJONESDOUG

MEMBER
2000 DODGE CARAVAN
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
100,000 MILES

I took my car to the shop because of a shimmy I was feeling at around 55MPH became noticable a slower speeds. I was told I had a "belt issue". And they recommended two new front tires. I also wanted them to do wheel alignment and was told they aligned the best they could but in order to get it back to spec, they would have to add a shim to the front end and replace a rear bushing for an additional $175.
I've have never heard of tire wear or failure from a belt issue and always thought that shims were a normal part of a wheel alignment and should not be an additional cost. What are you thoughts?

1 Reply

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,757 POSTS

You see, that's where you should have listened to the experts.

Belt separation as it's called is quite common in steel belted radials. It happens when the steel belting get a tear or pulls away from it's bonding and causes the tire to wobble at lower speeds.

The added work to wheel alignments is very common now. The manufacturer has not built in a way to adjust out many problems that develop. There are companies out there that have created kits, adapters, cams and numerous other modification kits to make a car adjustable where it never was before. The shims in the rear requires removing the spindle from the solid axle and installing a specifically calculated, tapered shim than will position a previously fixed wheel where it needs to be.
If you listened to their explanation you would have understood what needed to be done.